A Tale Of Two Travelers
by SailorJotunheim
Summary: The lives of two girls mean very little in the grand scheme, until they meet a strange man with a blue box. The world is far more complex than they ever imagined, and they will have to rise to the challenge. Strong bonds hold them together, but evil lurks in the shadows, always. Bloody battles, war and sorcery mixed with domestic fluff. A bittersweet tale of friendship and love.
1. Cola

**Chapter 1 - Cola **

"Avery, Avery wake up!"

Nothing, she just laid there, metre long brown/blonde hair everywhere in tangled mess of pillows and multicolored sheets. I shook her a little by the shoulders but there was no response from the night owl. Ave's head just slumped over and she pushed herself further into the feather pillows.

"Ava the house is on fire!"

Bright green eyes popped open and she sprung to life. Avery threw the covers off and sat up in the bed, then yelled back at me in a voice that sounded more like a frog than human:

"What?! Meg-"

"Shut up, wake up, and then come downstairs and help me move the couch."

She stared at me for a sec like I'd just spoken Japanese. Then it seemed to click.

"Moving day..." Avery groaned as she fell back into her pillows.

I can't blame her really, it sorta my fault I let her stay up till three am playing Mario Kart. But she's just so bad at it, it's hilarious. Exactly the reason we play whenever she's over. Anyway I owe her a bit more snooze time before I beat her over the head with a pillow.

"Get dressed and hurry up, if we finish loading the truck by twelve we'll go out for shawarma, on me 'Kay?"

She pulled the covers over her head and mumbled something about coffee. I shut the bedroom door as I left to go grab the keys. Starbucks is just a couple blocks away.

oOoOo

Why can't we just move tomorrow?

I am not a morning person, never have been and it stands to reason that somebody that has known me throughout high school would know better than to wake me up before noon on a holiday.

But Meggs is Meggs and she loves to irritate me.

I don't know how I'm going to stand living with her. I mean she's my best friend, but how will I stand being woken like this every weekend? Then again I'll be so tired from university I'll probably just spend my weekends sleeping and studying. I hope it isn't as hard as people say it is.

I rolled out of bed and landed ungracefully on the wood floor, stood up and waddled over to the bathroom still wrapped up in a fluffy iron man blanket. Meghan's favorite come to think of it, I got it for her after I found out she was such a big _Stark Industries_ fan. She's big into all that technology stuff and is gonna start studying computer science at the same university in which I'm studying in to become a doctor.

I flicked on the bathroom light which is almost as painful to my eyes as the sunlight coming from the window outside. Squinting I saw myself in the mirror, I cringed. Dirty brown-blonde hair is a complete mess and I have bags under my eyes the size of golf balls. The good thing however is that all acne has finally vanished.

Yes, finally the temptation to stop being the only girl in town not wearing makeup has passed.

And I can go back to being my homely, happy self.

I brushed my hair and put it in a high ponytail that stoped just below my hips. Washed my face, brushed my teeth, threw on a pair of jeans, a tank top and sweater then went down stairs to help Meggs with the stupid couch.

oOoOo

I opened the front door to see two strangers lifting the couch into the moving van next to Meghan's new yellow Beetle and Meggs herself standing to the side wearing orange capris and a white t-shirt and holding what appeared to be two steaming hot cups of Starbucks premium Espresso.

And if I'm not mistaken, they are labeled _'Thing 1' _and _'Thing 2'_.

At that moment any anger I had felt towards her earlier vanished and all I saw was an angel with caffeine in her grasp. Meggs then noticed I was there and with a smile she offered me one on the cups. _Thing1_. I tried not to look desperate as I ran over and reached for the brew. Gulping it despite the bitterness and burning down my throat.

Meghan watched me as she sipped at her own drink.

"You really are nocturnal aren't you." She said with a smirk.

It was a statement not a question, we've known each other long enough to know that I favor darkness and moonlight to the bright blinding metropolis Vancouver becomes during the day. The complete opposite of Meggs who basically looks like your typical tan Arizona princess. People would probably peg her for the 'blonde cheerleader type' as her personality would suggest but in reality she has dark brown eyes and hair, which falls in waves to just passed her shoulders. _(And is about as graceful as a walrus on land.) _

I don't answer her but instead I turn to observe the men moving the couch.

"Who are they?" I asked.

Why are they here, and how much do I have to pay them.

"I don't know, I think the skinny one said his name was Jeff but I can't remember the other's name"

The skinny one, Jeff, looked like a typical good samaritan, happy to help and looked pretty much like any other guy. However Mr. Anonymous looked like a homeless man with too many of his own problems to be bothered helping out some teen/adults move furniture in the heat. He looked wrong.

I felt bad judging him right away like that, it seemed really stereotypical that the overweight man with the stubble and greasy hair would be trouble. But that man just gave off a really dark vibe.

"They just showed up outta the blue and asked if I needed any help, free of charge." Meggs looked pleased as punch and full of grateful satisfaction.

Just then a clang sounded from the U-haul and the guys hopped outta the truck, all finished loading in the couch.

It looked like they were about to offer to do more, but if there is one thing I trust it is my instincts.

"Thanks a million guys, but we really don't want to impose. You don't have to do anymore, but thank you both for helping with the couch."

Meghan have me a subtle 'What are you doing?!' glare.

I tried to give my best 'trust me' expression in return.

Then the phone gave a startling ring from the house, so I passed my half empty cup of coffee to Meghan and ran upstairs to catch it.

"Hello?"

"Hello there. Would you be interested in renewing your Telus contra-"

I hung up on the machine and walked over to the mini fridge across the room. I pulled out a two Cokes then went over to the balcony to call down and ask the guys if they wanted them in return for their help.

But as I looked over the edge of the railing nothing could have prepared me for what I saw.

Mr. Anonymous was shrouded in electric blue light that gave off a sharp crackling sound like static, his face was pulled down like a jacket hoodie and inside of him there was a puke green monster with large black eyes. I heard the Cokes hit the floor but I didn't feel my hand let them go. My other hand gripped the railing so hard you could see white knuckle.

I searched my head frantically for a reasonable explanation, somthing to explain what the hell was going on. Explain why Meghan was frozen in terror five metres from the creature as it emerged from the mans body like it was nothing but a coat. Why she didn't look like she was pranking me, like I knew she must be. And why Jeff was already running to save his hide.

The monster let out a terrifying shriek and despite knowing that I must be hallucinating I did the only crazy thing I could think of. I ran inside and rolled the mini fridge onto the balcony and with every ounce of strength I had heaved it over the railing.

There was a sickening crunch of bones and a high pitched scream from Meghan. I ran downstairs as fast as I could, trying to keep calm and not think about what I just did.

I burst through the door and the first thing I saw was Meghan, standing there with her hands over her mouth, eyes filled with horror and two coffee cups spilling out onto the pavement by her feet. I followed her gaze to where she was staring and I felt my head spin and my stomach churn at the sight. A huge green thing was lying on the ground, with a smashed mini fridge on its torso. Green foul smelling blood was oozing out from the creature and beginning to mix with the bubbling soda fluids seeping out from the broken mini fridge.

Is it dead?

The was a moan from the beast and it moved its arm a little.

I snapped out of my trance and ran over to Meghan and grabbed her by the arm.

"Meghan snap out of it we have to go, come on! Run!"

Meghan registered what I said and nodded and with that we both ran full speed down the street with no other destination in mind other than the animalistic instinct 'away from harm.'

oOoOo

After fifteen minutes my sides burned and I had lost the feeling in my left leg. Meghan was gasping for breath, but we kept stumbling along, driven by fear.

We rounded a corner and I slammed right into something or someone. I fell like a rag doll and hit my head on the sidewalk and for a few seconds my vision was black and all I heard was the frantic babbling of a man.

"My sonic screwdriver! Oh no no not my screwdriver, I love my screwdriver..!"

When I opened my eyes and the spots cleared from my vision I saw Meghan was dragging me into a standing position and a man in a black leather jacket was kneeling on the ground with his forehead pressed up against a sewer grate.

"Avery come on, before it catches up!"

Meghan pulled me off the ground and we started running again but slower than before. The man got up from the ground and ran beside us with a toothy smile.

"What you running from then?"

He sounded British.

"I don't know," I wheezed at him between breaths. Still dizzy from the fall. Something warm and wet slid down my cheek, I wondered distantly what it might be but pushed the thought aside. No time for that.

"Something bad."

Concern fell upon the man's face and he started running faster.

"Come with me, I know a place that's safe."

Meghan looked over at him skeptically.

"Safe from what exactly?"

"Most everything."

He looked over at us, completely serious.

Logic screams at me that I shouldn't trust this guy, but I can't help but feel he isn't lying to us. The kinda get the feeling he must work in some sort of public relations job, because he seems like the type of person that could convince random people to follow him all the time. Myself included.

"Why should we trust you? We don't even know who you are!" Meghan seemed almost insulted at the offer.

"I'm the Doctor. Don't ask 'who' there isn't time, but I'm a friend and I promise if you come with me you will be safe from whatever is chasing you."

Too much crazy stuff is going on for me to really think, but I usually can tell about people. Like with Mr. Anonymous-beast-creature I knew something wasn't right with the guy, just like I could tell then that this Doctor person meant us no harm, I hoped.

What the hell.

"Lead the way then... Doctor."

Meghan looked at me like I'd agreed to jump off a building.

"What?! We don't know anything abou-"

"I just dropped a mini fridge on a monster, who cares?! He seems to know what he's doing."

The Doctor turned down a back alley and onto a smaller street, all the while Meghan and I close behind. Finally we reached a small street where a large blue box sat blocking the way into an ally and was hidden from view by the large white van parked on the street in front if it.

The Doctor leaned against the building wall a little out of breath.

"Here it is. This is my TARDIS, come on in, don't worry it's bigger than you'd think."

"Are you completely mad?!"

Meghan grabbed me by the shoulders and spun me around to look her in the eye.

"You want to go in that thing with a strange man? You must have hit your head on the sidewalk pretty har- Oh god your head."

Meghan looked a little sick.

"What? My head..."

I lifted a hand to my head and gently pressed a finger to my hairline. It was moist and sticky, and a stinging pain spread over my skull at the touch.

I cringed and bit on my lip to hold back a cry, and when I looked down to my hand the finger dripped crimson.

"We need to get that cleaned and bandaged." The Doctor took a step towards us.

"Oh no you don't!" Meghan shook her head and stepped in between the Doctor and me.

"I don't know who you think you are Doctor, but I'm not letting you touch Ava, So back off!"

The Doctor put his hands up and took a step back with raised eyebrows.

I touched Meghan on the shoulder and shook my head.

"Meghan he's offering to help, why not take a leap of faith and just trust that he has good intentions?"

"But Avery look at it! Do you really want to go in there? That's the kind of thing that takes small children away by offering them candy!"

She waved an arm at it for emphasis.

"Actually that's just a van. This is my TARDIS."

The Doctor pointed at the blue box, which upon closer inspection reads 'Police Public Free Call Box'.

Police Box? Is he a police man?

Meghan looked back and forth between the white van and the Tardis and I noticed her eyes tracing the label on the box. Most likely thinking the same as I had, and apparently deciding that a strange outdated police phone was less threatening than an average everyday white van.

"..What are your qualifications?" Meghan asked him, eyes narrowed.

"Pardon?" The Doctor looked at Meghan a little confused.

Meghan rolled her eyes losing patience.

"Who ARE you, why should I trust you?!"

The Doctor paused for a moment, contemplating the question. He then took a deep breath and looked up at us.

"My name is the Doctor. I'm not from around here, not from earth. And neither was that thing you encountered I'm guessing. And you should trust me because I help people, that's what I do. I travel in my ship, the TARDIS," He motioned to the Police Box, "Though time and space to different worlds and I help people. Like you."

The Doctor looked at Meghan waiting for her reaction.

I went over the events in my head and tried to work out if the story was even plausible. Considering I had just hit my head pretty hard I wasn't quite sure if I'd heard him right.

Meghan stared at him for a moment, face blank and mouth open.

"I'm serious you weirdo, who are you?!"

Shocked the Doctor insisted that what he'd said was true.

"You don't honestly expect us to believe that do you? How stupid do you think we are?! Aliens? No way that thing was just..just some failed lab experiment or hallucination, and time travel doesn't exist!"

"No it doesn't," The Doctor said. "Not yet. You know it's time travel after all."

Meghan looked as though she was going to say more but the Doctor cut her off before she could and turned to look at me.

"Listen, I know you don't believe me but I'd really like to help so please just give me the chance to prove it to you, and at least let me get you a bandage."

He shot Meghan a sarcastic smile. "Or would you rather she bleed to death?"

Without waiting for a reply the Doctor ran into the TARDIS, the door closing behind him with a small click.

I looked over at Meghan. "I appreciate it Meggs but you don't have to baby me, you're not my mother. Plus I am older than you."

"Only by three months. And besides, you need someone to look out for you. You're too self sacrificial."

I smiled at the last, Meghan hasn't realized that my usual protective nature has rubbed off on her greatly. If anything I should start looking out for her more.

Right then the Doctor hopped out of the TARDIS holding what appeared to be a long piece of cloth, a small brown bottle and some cotton.

Meghan eyed the bottle suspiciously.

"Sorry this is all I've got, but it should do for now." The Doctor motioned for me to come closer.

A leap of faith.

I walked up to the Doctor and tilted my head up so he had a better view of the injury.

"This may hurt a little but bear with it okay?"

Meghan looked like she wanted to intervene but held back.

The Doctor doused a large piece of cotton with what I assumed was rubbing alcohol from the smell and carefully began to dab at my forehead to remove blood and bacteria.

He was right, it _hurt._

After he was finished cleaning the gash the Doctor began to gently lay the cotton down, then slowly started to wrap the bandage around my head like a bandana holding the cotton in place and applying enough pressure to stop any bleeding.

When he was done the Doctor tied a knot in the cloth at the back of my neck and took a step back.

"There you go, that should do the trick," He smiled at his good work.

"I don't think you'll need stitches, just take it easy and be sure not to open the cut up again or do further damage. You're lucky you don't have a concussion."

"...Thank you."

I looked over at Meggs who seemed to have relaxed a bit.

"See? He's perfectly safe."

"Yeah," Meghan said leaning against the white van. "Safe, but that doesn't mean he's not crazy."

I couldn't argue with that. I'd been thinking along those lines as well.

"So, you..think you're an alien?"

I said to the Doctor.

The poor guy obviously meant no harm, but he was definitely delusional.

He started getting annoyed.

"For gods sake I'd prove it to you if you would just get in the bleeding TARDIS for two seconds! But you don't trust me enough so i'll just be on my way."

He turned to go back into his...spaceship.

I called after him, "No wait, don't go! We'll come with you, just wait a sec."

"Avery..." Meghan warned.

I looked over at Meggs.

"Would you rather we never know?"

She hesitated for a moment before finally giving in. With that the two of us shuffled into the TARDIS, door held open by the Doctor.

"Its about time.." He mumbled.

oOoOo

Part of me expected a chloroform-soaked rag to be pushed into my face as soon as I stepped in after Avery, and I was pleasantly surprised when I wasn't assaulted in any way. In fact I was too shocked by what was inside this 'TARDIS' I didn't really have the brainpower to be paranoid.

"Oh my god.."

The first thing I noticed was the size of it. It was huge. A huge circular room, with four large gold-brown pillars that split into more, branching off like coral. The walls were the same color but were covered in strange hexagons in rows that each gave off a dim light that helped illuminate the room. The only other lighting I could see came from a green, near turquoise cylinder rising out from a circular...control panel of sorts in the center of the room. A console, complete with monitors and buttons, all flashy with sticky notes stuck to the screens. The column rose all the way to the ceiling where black wires hung from it connecting all across the ceiling like a spider web, and it glowed...like a million neon fireflies were all trapped inside.

As Avery, the Doctor and I walked in we stepped onto a ramp that lead to a large metal hexagon platform that though small holes in it you could see wires, open space and machinery. Atop that was another more sturdy circular platform with railing along the perimeter, all supported by the four coral pillars.

When we all walked out onto the main platform I noticed along the railing, hidden behind the control panel there was a small two person bench with old worn cushions. I walked over to it and plopped myself down, overwhelmed by it all.

Ava came and sat next to me.

"It's..bigger on the inside." Avery said slowly, still trying to adjust to the fact.

"Yeah.." My mouth wasn't really working and that was the only reply I could muster.

The Doctor leaned against the console with crossed arms.

"Is this good enough for you, or do you still think I'm a nutter?"

His cocky attitude usually would have annoyed me but I was too mesmerized by it all.

"...Earlier...did you say...time travel?" Avery questioned, an almost hopeful look in her eyes.

The Doctor smirked smugly and stood up straight.

"Yes indeed. The Tardis can travel anywhere in the universe and through time."

He walked over to the other side of the console and turned some switches and took hold of a lever in his hand but didn't move it.

"Would you girls fancy a quick trip then?"

I burst out laughing for some reason and jumped out of my seat.

"Yes! Oh my god yes, please that would be-"

"Fantastic." The Doctor finished for me.

He slammed down the lever and the entire room began to rock and shake.

I lost my balance and fell to my right, grabbing hold of a pillar as I did to steady myself.

Avery was thrown right of the chair and she stumbled to her feet, eventually falling to her knees and gripping at the railing.

"Where are we going?!" She called out to the Doctor who was still working the console.

"The real question is 'when' not 'where'!" He answered.

"Let's go have a better look at that monster of yours for starters!"

As suddenly as it had come, the shaking of the TARDIS came to a halt. I let go of the pillar and Ava rose to her feet. The doctor walked over to the TARDIS door and said to us both with a raised finger in the air as though we were little children:

"Now here are the rules. Don't interact with yourselves and follow my instructions, you got that?"

With that he disappeared behind the door.

"What did he mean by that?" Avery asked me.

"Idon'tknowwhocarescomeonlet'sgo!"

We ran out of the TARDIS after the Doctor.

Felt a surge of disappointment run through me.

"We're still in Vancouver."

Ava did a 180° spin on her heels to observe where we were. "This is only a block from your house.."

A pair of hands fell down on both our shoulders, we jumped.

"Just me."

The Doctor came around from behind us

"Just a block you say? Fantastic we'll be there in a jiffy."

"Where exactly is 'there'." I asked.

"Your house of course." He said to me. "Which way?"

I pointed left. "Quarry Road."

"I want a good look at that alien before you," He pointed to Ava. "Crush it with a fridge."

Without further adieu he took off down the street.

"What?! That thing could kill us, what are you doing?!" I yelled after him as we followed.

Eventually we reached my street and the Doctor stopped running and faced us.

"We have to be very careful from this point on." He warned. "Don't let your past selves see you, try not to let anyone else see you for that matter."

With that said we started slowly down the street, not making any noise and staying close behind the Doctor.

We're lucky it's a hot day most people aren't out, I thought. I'm burning up myself. The TARDIS was so nice and cool…

"There it is." Ava pointed at my house, which was across the street.

We all crouched behind a pile of trash bins and recycling and peered over the edge trying to stay low.

There was no one in sight. A large u-haul was parked on the driveway along with a shiny yellow Beetle. _My Beetle. _

God I love that car...

All of a sudden the front door opened and out stepped a girl. About 17-18 with a nice tan, dark brown hair, white t-shirt and capris.

"Oh my god is that me?!"

"Sshhh! Stay quiet!" The Doctor scolded me.

Well fine then..jeez...

'Not-me' got into the Beetle and drove off.

"That's when you went to Starbucks right?" Ava asked.

I nodded. "Wow..."

A few minutes later the yellow punch buggy pulled up into the driveway, right when two men walking down the street started to pass.

Instead of walking straight to the door 'I' walked along the sidewalk around the van and bumped into them. Luckily the coffees hadn't spilled and I saw myself strike up conversation.

That thing is right there...

Soon 'I' was leading the way to my door and walking in with them, then stepping out behind the men as they started hauling the couch towards the van.

'I' just stood there for a moment, then another girl burst through the front door.

She had long dirty-blonde hair tied up in a ponytail, pale skin, jeans, white tank top and a thin blue sweater.

Not-Avery ran over to not-Me and started downing one on the coffees. The not-us people talked for a bit before a loud clang resonated from the truck and not-Jeff and that thing hopped out from the trunk.

I couldn't make out what they were saying but I knew at this point Ava was telling them they should stop.

Suddenly Ave handed me her coffee and ran into the house.

'I' talked with them for a second before..

Oh boy, here it comes.

The thing reached up to its forehead and began pulling it back like a zipper, blue light shining from inside.

Despite knowing it was coming and having seen it before, it still gave me the shivers.

I saw myself frozen in fear and not-Jeff start running for his life.

As it was pulled the skin further down to reveal its pitch black eyes not-Avery appeared on the balcony. She stopped in her tracks and dropped the bottles she was holding, staring down at the scene.

She quickly ran into the house and I could see her pushing the mini fridge out onto the balcony, not-Ave forced the fridge over the rail and it fell..fell..and-

I closed my eyes, there was a loud crunch and scream from me and though I couldn't hear it, I knew there was also a splash as I dropped the coffees.

I opened my eyes and looked at the chaotic mess. Not-Avery ran through the door and paused to stare at the beast. It was memorizing in a horrible way. She grabbed not-me by the arm and yelled something at me before we both took off running down the street.

Once 'we' were out I sight the Doctor stood up and ran towards the monster.

"Come on!"

Ava got up and went after him right away, I on the other hand was thinking about my neck.

"Are you crazy? That thing is still alive!"

"Oh come on you coward." Ave waved at me to follow.

I did so reluctantly.

The Doctor knelt down beside the thing, Ava was standing behind him and I stood a meter from her, in what I had designated as a more safe zone.

"Raxacoricofallapatorian."

The Doctor muttered.

"What?" Me and Ava questioned at the same time.

"This is a member of the Raxacoricofallapatorian race." He explained.

"Possibly one of the Slitheen family..."

The Doctor leaned downs but and said louder into its..ear?

"What is your name?"

The Raxa..cora..flaba, Slitheen let out a ear splitting wail causing the Doctor and Ava to jump back a couple paces till they stood next to me.

The monster writhed under the mini fridge, soda and its blood pooling under it. With sudden speed the Slitheen's body began to shrink. Wait, no it began actually melting away, disintegrating, until all that was left was a broken mini fridge on the ground before us and a pool of slimy residue.

The Doctors eyes were wide. And Ave and I couldn't think of anything to say.

"What was in that fridge?"

The Doctor asked as he turned and started to quickly walk away, us close behind.

"Coca-Cola."

"Just coke?"

"Yes."

"Well that explains it." He said.

"Slitheen are vulnerable to acetic acid because they are basically living calcium bipeds. So when they come in contact with it, it reacts explosively with their bodies, making the Raxacoricofallapatorian race fatally allergic to things like vinegar, most condiments and even Coca Cola."

"So the acid in the coke killed it?"

Ava looked as though she found it kind of funny.

"Odd as it is yes."

Before I knew it we were standing outside the TARDIS again.

We all stopped outside the door and the Doctor shifted awkwardly for a moment, shuffling his feet.

"Your life, is it always this crazy?" Ave wondered aloud.

The Doctor smiled.

"Always."

He looked back and forth between Meggs and me.

"I don't suppose you two would like, I dunno...to come with me?"

"Like to travel?" I considered the idea.

"Ya well..around here and there, just a couple trips."

"Do you really mean it?" The growing excitement in Ave's eyes was hard to miss.

"If you're up to it."

"You bet I am!"

Avery's grin rivaled the Cheshire Cat's. She turned to look at me."Will you go Meggs?"

"New worlds, past, present time and future? Sure that sounds alright." I grinned.

Then it hit me like a brick.

"Wait! What am I doing? I can't just leave home randomly like this!"

"What?" Ave looked confused.

"Why? It's a time machine we can come back to this very moment, nobody will even know we we're gone."

"It's not _that_." I rolled my eyes.

"I can't just leave all my stuff behind! What about my laptop and iPhone? I have to be able to check up on tumblr while we're gone-"

A horrible thought ran through my head.

Oh no..

I pointed at the TARDIS.

"That thing has wifi, right?"

Silence.

"Oh my god Meghan." Ave did a literal face palm.

"Um, I'm pretty sure your computer will work in the TARDIS." The Doctor reassured me.

"Oh thank god." I was genuinely relieved.

"But I have to go shopping too. I'll need a good camera and new clothes too. I mean we are going all over the place I'll need new boots and sunglasses..it has showers too right?"

The Doctor nodded.

"Great. New shampoo then too."

"Meggs," Ava put a hand on my shoulder.

"Do you really have to do this? I'm sure he doesn't want to wait around while you try on shoes."

"Why don't Ava and I go on ahead, set up a nice hotel room or something and come get you later?" The Doctor suggested before I could answer.

"This place I'm taking you girls, you'll both want to stay a while."

I shrugged. "Sounds great. I'll be done in a couple days. Ill pick you up some stuff too Avery, we're about the same size."

"Thanks Meghan, remember I like black, blue and green."

"You're so depressing."

I gave my friend a hug then started walking away but turned and waved to her as I went.

"Catch you later bestie. Don't kill anything till I get there 'Kay?"

"You got it." She waved back at me.

"Have fun cleaning up the fridge."

"You jerk."

"See ya!" She called getting into the TARDIS.

The door shut and the blue light on top of police box began to flash and there was a sound like...

_Whorp.. whorp.._

The TARDIS started to fade in and out until it completely disappeared.

I smiled then turned and ran towards my house for my credit cards.

This is going to be _fantastic. _


	2. A Troubled World

**Chapter 2 - A Troubled World**

The TARDIS gave a final shudder before coming to a halt, I released the railing and stood up from the bench.

"So are you going to tell me where we are yet?" I asked turning to look at the Doctor.

He smirked and shook his head, "Not a chance, this is a surprise."

He walked over to the TARDIS door and opened it ever so slightly, a stream of golden light shone through the gap illuminating tiny dust particles in the air.

"Ready?"

I ran forward and and put a hand on the door. The Doctor nodded as if to say 'go ahead' and I pushed the door wide open with a great heave.

It was incredible. I had to shut my eyes at first from the sheer glow of it all. The TARDIS was sitting right on what appeared to be an unbelievably long bridge that lead to a huge city far away that covered the horizon. Even at that great distance I could make out the towers, huge gold pillars and buildings that gleamed in the sun. It was almost too bright to look at and my eyes began to water at the sight. The only thing more impressive was the bridge itself. It looked like it was made of diamonds, or better yet opals. Sparkling bricks piled together in every color imaginable to form a shimmering walkway suspended over a churning ocean and supported by several gold columns that rose from the waters attached to slick grey rocks. The dazzling scene left me speechless. It was like standing on a rainbow.

The Doctor walked out in front of me and looked over it all casually with his hands in his leather pockets.

"Beautiful isn't it?"

I couldn't really work my mouth properly and all that came out was a slightly slurred, "Where are we?"

Before the Doctor could reply a deep voice came from behind us.

"Who goes there?" It called out loudly.

I spun around to look behind me for the first time.

A very tall black man at least 6'4 walked around the TARDIS into view, he wore golden armor with brown leather sleeves and pants and a huge helmet with two large spikes that came up like pincers at either side of his head. He had a short black goatee with moustache and fierce amber eyes with thick brows. In his hands he carried an extremely long sword with a matching gold hilt.

I was so captivated by the sight of this man that its came as a slight shock when I finally noticed the massive circular building behind to Tardis that the bridge obviously lead to and from which this stranger had no doubt come from.

"Heimdall!" The Doctor smiled at the man like they had known each other for years. Maybe they had.

"It's good to see you again, do you remember me? I looked rather different last time we spoke."

Heimdall smiled and shook the Doctor's hand. "Though your face may have changed your TARDIS is quite distinguishable, Doctor. What brings you here this time?"

"Oh just a friendly visit, bit of a vacation. I'm showing a friend of mine around the universe for a quick trip." He said motioning to me.

Heimdall turned his head to look down at me, I felt very small.

"Human.." He grumbled in his baritone voice. He turned away from me. "Doctor I hoped you may have come to offer us your aid, not to show your little friend the sights."

"Aid?" The Doctor looked a little concerned now, "What's happened?"

"We are at war." Heimdall said.

The Doctor was definitely alarmed now, he took his hands out from his pockets and replied immediately.

"With who?"

"The Chitauri," Heimdall's amber eyes were livid while the rest of him appeared calm and collected. "They have joined forces with the Prince and are laying siege to the city. The fight has been mainly to our advantage, and we do not fear defeat, but this treachery is a messy ordeal. Not even the king knows what is to be done when the fight is over."

"The Prince.." The Doctor seemed genuinely sad. "Heimdall I need to speak with Odin immediately, would you take us to him?"

"Of course," Heimdall obliged. "But the human cannot be present in such discussions as these."

"I understand, in that case first would you take us to your guest chambers?"

"Certainly."

With that Heimdall started down the rainbow bridge towards the city, the Doctor close behind. He motioned for me to follow.

As I speed walked to keep up with their long strides my mind was racing with all I had heard and seen. How could such a serene looking city be at war? And those names, Odin and Heimdall, those couldn't be real. It was right out of legends, it just wasn't possible that we were

really in, that the city was actually...

The Doctor turned back to me and said with a grim smile, "Welcome to Asgard by the way."

oOoOo

After what felt like an eternity of walking, we finally reached the end of the bridge and passed through the gates into the city. It was certainly beautiful, but up close you could tell something was amiss. Few people walked the streets, and those who did venture out walked fast, no doubt eager to reach their destination in one piece and without disturbance, disturbances that the general public hoped to avoid by hiding away in their homes. The place had an eerie silence about it, and occasionally I spotted a house or rooftop that had obviously just been mended or rebuilt. One building's wall had been smashed in, with its heavy brown-gold bricks crumbling away and laying scattered on the nearby road. The hole place held signs of past damage: violently crushed potholes in the ground, broken window panes held tarps while shattered glass lay in neat piles waiting to be thrown out, the steady drip drip drip of a cracked water fountain.

However it did look like the threat had gone, since they had rebuilt it to some an extent. Heimdall had said the war was nearing its end, so naturally the city had began to recover.

But what then was going on that had the King so forlorn and in need of the Doctor's assistance? They mentioned a Prince. And treachery. Could the King's son have turned on him? If so then why..

I racked my brain trying to remember what I knew from my old mythology book I got when I was nine.

Heimdall was some sort of gatekeeper. Odin, he was the allfather, the king, that I knew. Though I couldn't quite remember...his son. No wait, sons. Odin had two sons, the older one had the hammer 'Milnor' or something. Thor, that was his name I'm sure. And he had a brother, damn what was his name..

"Mind your step."

Heimdall's deep voice snapped me away from my thoughts and I realized we were at the beginning of a set of stairs leading to the huge mahogany doors, at least fifteen feet tall and ten wide, with gold and brass accents embedded into the dark wood. Multiple guards in gold armor stood on either side and opened the doors for us as we walked into the entrance hall, a massive room the size of a gymnasium with a white granite floor and pillars, and of course gold accents. The asgardian royals sure have a thing for gold.

The room had many doors and two huge staircases branching off from the hall, Heimdall lead us up the right stairwell and down a long dimly lit hallway. We walked in a tense silence, the Doctor looked extremely concerned.

Eventually we reached a door to our left, Heimdall turned and opened the door and with a wave of his hand motioned for me to enter. I stepped in and the others followed.

The room was a decent size with beige walls and a wood floor. There was a bed, probably a queen, with brown silk sheets and a small brick fireplace on the opposite wall with a stack of wood beside as well as two chairs with red cushions. There was a door that lead to what I assumed would be a bathroom, and a large window by the bed looking out onto a lush green garden nestled between the rest of the building complete with a coy pond and patio.

Heimdall turned to leave, "You shall rest here while we meet with the allfather. The Doctor will come to collect you later."

"You're just going to leave me here?" I wasn't mad as much as I was disappointed.

The Doctor looked regretful but still sternly explained, "I'm sorry Avery, I didn't know this would happen. I have to take care of this but I'll be back by nightfall. Then I promise we'll go get Meghan and go on a trip."

With an apologetic smile the Doctor and Heimdall closed the door and were gone. Leaving me alone with my racing thoughts that just didn't make any sense.

I yawned, tired from all the excitement in one day. So I pulled out my ponytail letting my hair fall loose and grabbed the first layer of sheets from the bed revealing a softer cream colored layer. I preferred that and pulled the blanket off and dragged it with me to the chair by the fireplace where I curled up like a burrito and after a couple minutes my mind calmed and I fell into a deep peaceful sleep.

oOoOo

Heimdall began to explain the situation to me as soon as the door shut and Avery was out of earshot. I didn't think it was necessary to keep her out of the loop but I had to respect the seriousness of the matter and the customs in Asgard. Of course I would tell her all of it later anyway.

"It started about seven months ago. The prince as you know has been kept in the dark about his origin, but has lead a happy life in return for his ignorance. However, upon the revealing of his nature he went mad. Swore to prove himself worthy and lead Asgard to a 'new and glorious age'. He even suggested we wage war on Jotunheim."

"Didn't anyone try to calm him down and explain it to him rationally? He was always rather sensible."

"Obviously, Doctor. He would not listen, and was blinded by hatred. He waged war on his own people, joined forces with our enemies and betrayed us all including his family with no remorse. The death toll I would rather not discuss, both sides have lost countless warriors to this petty fight."

And all this was done by that little boy I met so long ago... I could still remember what he looked like, a pale, scrawny little kid with a head of extremely curly black hair and a taste for magic tricks. Funny, he was about..what, sixty then? Though he looked only eight at the time. The little guy was gentle, quiet even. His brother was the loud rambunctious one. I couldn't imagine him as a killer, but the hard cold evidence was all around me and I had to accept what he'd became.

"How is Odin dealing with everything?"

"You can ask him that yourself in a moment."

We entered through large double door into a circular room with a stone floor and roaring fire, the wall were covered in bookshelves and paintings of war and feasts and dances and all the history of Asgard. At a desk near the fire sat a old man with white-gray hair, beard and a metal eyepatch. His face showed great wisdom and strain. He was very worn, and despite the strength he displayed he looked as though a strong breeze might just push him over the edge.

He rose up from his seat, "Doctor! Old friend I hoped you would come, though I think you are a little late."

I went and shook his hand respectfully, it wasn't often I met with someone older than I, even if only by a few hundred years.

Heimdall left the room to give us some privacy.

"I'm sorry I didn't come sooner, I hadn't heard of your situation. Heimdall just explained to me what's been going on. How can I help?"

Odin shook his head and turned to face the crackling fireplace.

"I don't know if you can, my son has already lost the war, he has no more pieces to play in the game. All out of options. The only thing that remains is how do we clean this all up."

How to 'clean it all up'. You can't clean up a war. It leaves stains everywhere and you can never scrub it all away or forget about it.

oOFlashbackOo

_People ran in all directions and even more lay on the ground. In the afterglow of the raid paramedics searched the fallen crowd for survivors. Everyone was panicking and raving about how they had to 'go back and warn them' or 'go stop it'. But we all knew that was impossible. We can't change things like this it isn't natural. But in the smoldering heat and smoke from the burning buildings and the rubble falling away in front of them as our home literally fell apart before their eyes made them irrational. So it was my job to calm them, control the situation and pretend I wasn't as scared as they were. So I gave my orders._

_"All-right men, separate into four groups and each take a quadrant, search for survivors and bring them to emergency headquarters. And remember to check all enemy corpses for sights of life. You know what to do. Head out!"_

_"Yes Sir!"_

_They had their losses as well, more than us even. But the scattered chunks of crushed, smoldering or exploded metal monsters gave me no comfort. It chilled me to the bone. If they have enough soldiers for a kamikaze attack we don't have a prayer. _

_I looked around at what had become of my planet._

_Wind blew sparks from a nearby wreckage across the ground, and the naturally red grass swayed, it would have provided an excellent cover if it wasn't for the red pools and sticky red footprints on the concrete shattering that naive illusion. _

_There has to be a way to stop this, there has to._

_Silver leaves flashed scarlet in light of the flames and setting suns. And like our hope they burned up into a pile of black ash, and were blown into the wind._

_This was Gallifrey. This was war._

oOoOo

"Doctor?"

I snapped back to attention and brushed the memory aside.

"What are you prepared to do?"

Odin didn't answer.

"...He is your son. Do you have a prison that could hold him?"

"My people," Odin began, "demand justice."

"Isn't imprisonment justice enough?"

He raised his watery eyes to mine and said softly,

"They demand blood."

oOoOo

I was dreaming peacefully about getting more tumblr followers than Meggs when I jolted awake suddenly. I yawned and adjusted myself on the chair, still wrapped up in the soft cream blanket. The fire was smaller than before and cackled madly, I supposed I should feed the flames more wood but I was awfully lazy and thought I'd do it later. I turned my head to look outside, it was already dusk and the the sky was a gradually fading to a darker navy blue, with a few tiny white stars. The Doctor would be back soon, that was good. I stretched my arms up over my head relieving my cramped limbs.

Then out of nowhere something clamped down on my wrist and yanked hard, causing me to painfully fall out of the chair, and land very awkwardly as my legs were still wrapped in the blanket. Before I could recover from the fall or the surprise it grabbed my other wrist and heaved me up by the arms, and twisted them behind my back like I was going to be handcuffed. I tried to yell but another set of hands came round to gag my mouth with a rag that tasted revolting and blocked out my voice except for frantic grumbling that wasn't very loud. It was apparent now that there was more than one of whoever they were and I didn't have any advantages. I kicked and struggled but they still managed to bind my hands tightly behind me. They grabbed me by the arms and tried to push me towards the window but it was hard. I threw my weight back and forth trying to get free and did a good job of being difficult to capture. I guess they realized I wouldn't come quietly so to make things simpler one grabbed a fistful of my long hair close to the scalp and rammed my head against the wall twice right where I'd cut myself before, I screamed against the gag at the white hot pain. The third time all I heard was a final slam and everything went silent and pitch black.


	3. The Prince

**Chapter 3 - The Prince**

After I met with Odin and we discussed all that needed to be said at the time, I headed back to the guestroom Avery was waiting in. I was back later than expected, but then things in Asgard were worse than expected. I just hoped she'd gotten some sleep.

When I entered the room I didn't realized something was amiss. I walked in and when I didn't see her I assumed she was in the washroom. I noticed that a layer of bed sheets were gone and were laying at the foot of a chair next to the fireplace. The flames had died out not too long ago, there were still red hot coals in the smoking charred wood. I wondered if she didn't know how to tend a fire, maybe she'd never learnt.

I'd have to teach her that. Though I would have thought Avery would have enough sense to keep the window shut, the wind wouldn't help the fire and it let in icy fresh air..

That's when I noticed the stains on the wall. Two dark red splatters close together that left long trails dripping to the floor. It was already dry.

"Avery!" I shouted out running to the bathroom door. I whipped it open but it was empty.

I ran into the hall and shouted for guards, they met me halfway as I ran to Odin's chambers.

"Alert the garrison, a human girl from Midgard has been taken. Seventeen, long dirty-blonde hair, green eyes. Start a search party and report everything back to me. And remember as she is not of Asgard and by chapter 57 of the Shadow Proclamation it is universally illegal for her to be used as a pawn in a foreign planets warfare. Find her!"

If she was hurt, it would be my fault entirely. I would not let that happen.

oOoOo

I felt as though I had been asleep a very long time, and I was slowly waking up into a nightmare. The first thing I felt was a horrible burning on my forehead, everything was black. Then it became murky smudges of colour and eventually I could make out my surroundings. I became aware of something dry and sticky covering the left side of my face, forehead and no doubt soaked into my hair.

It was cold, very cold, and damp. I was in a small rectangular room with one heavy wood door and rough gray stone walls lit by several blue-flame torches. From what I could tell I was leaning against a wall. I tried to move, but then I realized my hands were still tied behind me, though the gag was gone, I guessed they didn't want me to choke after all the trouble of getting me here alive. Both my ankles were locked onto long rusted chains attached to the floor. No matter, I couldn't move even without the chains. The small motion of even trying sent ripples of pain from my head coursing through me. I couldn't help but groan and bite my lip.

At the noise the door gave a shudder and swung open to reveal a tall man with a scarred face, he called out into the hallway.

"Sir, the prisoner has awoken!"

The guard didn't even look at me. He just held open the door for the approaching footsteps and closed it again after a man stepped into the cell.

He looked about 20. Pale skin, high cheekbones, with long jet black hair slicked back and curled up at the ends about an inch or two below his ears. He was taller than me, I guessed that if I had been standing I would come up to about his chin. He was slim but lean with muscle and he had a hard look in his dark green eyes that made him seem older than he looked. Like those deep eyes had seen things...horrible things. He dressed in the same style as most of the Asgardians but darker. With lots of black leather and emerald with gold accents, of course the gold again. He looked regal, but very...worn. Like he hadn't slept well in a while. And angry. Not at me, but..you could see it in his eyes, that he was fighting something for sure. He obviously had a lot of power.

I may have found this man intriguing had I not been raging with hatred towards him and all his men and guards alike. I glared at him with all my might and ignored the wretched pain in my head. My breathing was ragged and all I could think of was how satisfying it would be to kick this man rather hard between the legs. My mind was too foggy to think up an escape plan yet, or appreciate the painfully clichè dungeon.

He walked in and came towards me, stopping a couple feet so not to crowd.

"Welcome to Asgard. I hear you're new around these parts." He said casually.

"Is this how you welcome all your guests? No offense but don't go throwing lots of dinner parties, you're a pretty shitty host." I tried to sound tough but I don't think choking on your own dry tongue counts as intimidating.

"Well that's rude. Though I admit I must apologize for my henchmen. They're a rather dumb breed and the phrase 'bring unharmed' does not really register in their puny minds. Don't worry they have been taken care of. I assure you, the rest of your stay will be much more pleasant."

"_Sure_ it will."

The man paused for a moment then crouched down beside me, not quite eye level but I could see his eyes better. Dark, dark green. And fierce.

"You think me some kind of monster."

"I know you are." I hissed.

In an almost sad way he smirked and said, "That may be true. But I'm nothing if not a gentleman. You will be given food and water daily and never harmed. That's not too bad is it? Now about your head..."

He raises his hand up and moved his long pale fingers towards my face, it hurt to flinch but I managed a more forceful, "Get back!"

He withdrew his hand a little and looked me in the eye. "Just fixing you up, believe me you'll be grateful later."

Despite my futile protests, he placed his hands gently on the bandage the Doctor had wrapped around my head earlier and unwound it. It still hurt despite the bastard's careful work. He must have dropped it beside me or something, as it seemed to just disappear after he removed it. Then he pointed two fingers at my forehead and I braced myself for a shot of agony but it never came. In fact, at the touch a feeling of warmth washed over me and the sticky substance coating my face seemed to melt away. And when I instinctively looked up at the man for an explanation, it didn't hurt.

"What did you do?" I demanded.

He rose to his feet and slowly walked toward the door.

"I fixed you. No don't ask bothersome questions just be grateful. Now go to sleep. You still need to recover more than I can provide. Sleep. I will return later, we'll talk then."

"Who are you?" I asked. I had been wondering since he arrived.

He turned his head to look at me and declared, "I am Loki. Of Asgard."

With that he walked out the door which seemed to open on its own for him, and left me to myself in the cold little cell.

As much as I wanted to get up and explore my cage, what 'Loki' had said grew obviously true as I tried to stand. I swayed rather ungracefully before falling back down, and my vision grew gradually more blurred until I couldn't help but give in to exhaustion and numbness, and passed out on the floor. My last thought before I was once again enveloped in darkness, was that this regal man must no doubt be the the so called treacherous prince.

oOoOo

I woke up to the sound of the dungeon door creaking open. I was sore all over and it twinged horribly when I jumped up onto shaky feet, unbalanced as my arms were still tied behind my back. The chains around my ankles clattered on the ground. The man from before, _Loki_ walked into the cell with confident almost cocky strides.

"All rested I see, good. Now we can discuss the situation like civilized people." He said.

"…Then explain it to me." I grumbled, "Why am I here?"

Loki stood about a meter away from me and crossed his arms.

"You're here because we are fighting a war. We need leverage, and you are a perfect candidate. Weak, inexperienced and protected by intergalactic treaties as old as time. In short you are our bargaining chip, and essentially a very valuable pawn on the chessboard."

"How can you? _'Make me your pawn'_ do you hear yourself?! You sick twisted fu-"

"-I hate to interrupt but I actually meant discuss upstairs. I'm bringing you to meet with the general, he'd like a word with you."

With that he turned and held open the dungeon door, and gestured for me to go through.

"The chains genius." I pointed out, jangling an ankle.

While still holding the door he raised his free and up and snapped his fingers dramatically as if saying _'well duh'_.

It took me a moment to realize I was free. The chains had just vanished, leaving only the stubs of metal hooks on the wall.

What the hell..?!

"Now come along."

I looked back up at Loki in disbelief, but brushing that aside I walked forward and out the door. Magic, sorcery, all this was just as impossible as time travel and I'd seen that with my own eyes. So why start doubting now? I tried to ignore that little screaming bit of my mind that was logic and focused on not losing my head.

Loki let the door swing shut and started walking down the hall. I followed in silence, racking my brain for an escape plan.

The hall was about three meters wide, with smooth stone walls and blue torches like in my cell. Occasionally we would pass another cell door, but other than that the hall was empty. I didn't have anything to use as a weapon, defense, not anything. I might have been scared, angry and irrational but I was not dumb. Nothing I could do now would get me any closer to escaping. I could only hope the Doctor had realized my disappearance.

Eventually we came to a much larger door with thick brass handles. Loki pushed it open and lead me through another hallway, lined with the occasional guard. Only, they weren't human. They were tall, fearsome creatures that resembled humans except for their hideous faces, grey burnt looking flesh that seemed to be rotting. We walked fast down the hall, Loki seemed to dislike them as much as me, and up a set of stairs that lead into a huge hall.

It appeared to be a sort of throne room, with light gray walls and lavish paintings depicting gory battles in extensive detail. In the middle was the giant throne and upon it sat what appeared to be a huge hulking man at least three feet taller than Loki, and with muscles so huge they were grotesque. He had leathery purple-ish grey skin like an elephant hide hidden mainly by the dark blue body suit he wore. His wide face was covered by a mask that resembled a wrestler's, with a wide gold line down the middle starting on his head and trailing down his chest to a metal belt. He had large gold shoulder armour, and matching metal gauntlets on each hand, as well as heavy gold boots.

Guards stood at the four corners of the room as well as two on either side of the throne.

Honestly my first impression was that the guy must have a giant ego to match all the unnecessary gold.

Loki and I walked up to the man and stopped about a meter in front.

"There you are Thanos, one Midgardian girl."

_'Thanos'_ turned his head to me and seemed to look me over. It was a very uncomfortable feeling.

"I suppose you want to know why you're here and what we plan to do with you?" He said in a deep rumbling voice.

I rolled my eyes, "Well wouldn't you?"

Thanos smiled at that, and I worried if maybe I'd pushed it too far. Up close the man didn't even look human. His face was wide and flat, with a huge rectangular chin and small beady black eyes.

"Laufeyson I presume has taken the liberty of explaining some of the situation, that you are our hostage and game piece in this war."

"You have no right dammit!"

"..And we will do what we please with you in the mean time."

At that I stayed quiet, until I realized I still had cards to play.

"You can't harm me," I boasted, "I'm a hostage. You have to keep me safe and hand me over in one piece if you want the other side to comply. If you kill me you won't have your bargaining chip."

Loki, standing next to me, listened while Thanos and I talked, not a adding a word but observing carefully.

Thanos gave a booming laugh that wiped the triumphant look right off my face. He then leaned forward in his chair and said to me,

"You think yourself far more important than you are, mortal. True, we need you as a hostage and you can't very well be dead for that. But..that by no means suggests you are untouchable here. No no, we make it our _business_ to entertain ourselves with our prisoners. And neither side will really mind if when we give you back, if we do that is, you are missing a couple pieces."

The subtle twisting in my gut got far more noticeable during his speech.

So I was alone, and my kidnappers were one hundred percent pro-torture.

I felt sick.

Thanos sneered down at me, satisfied he'd gotten his point across and with good results on my part.

Thanos turned to Loki and gave the order to, "Return the prisoner to her cell."

Loki and I started to walk away but as we did Thanos had another idea.

"Oh Laufeyson, I forgot I mention, I'm putting you to the task of breaking this cheeky little thing. I can't trust my soldiers to keep her alive. Use any means you wish, just don't kill her."

"And you young lady," He said looking to me, "I am unfamiliar with Earthen biology, tell me, so that it may not pose a problem or a gateway to unnecessary complications, have you yet reached childbearing age?"

"What?!"

I whirled around to look at Loki who had a hard indifferent look in his eyes, very different than before.

"Ah well no matter, take her away Laufeyson, enjoy."

In an obedient way that didn't suit him, Loki made way to take me back but I refused, backing up a couple paces.

"No way you're not taking me back down there, not a chance! Just stay back!"

Of course backing away did very little, Loki just stepped forward and grabbed me hard around the arm and began hauling me back down through the tunnels. I struggled in vain to get free but it was no use. Loki only let go when he tossed me by the arm into my cell, causing me to trip off balance into the back wall, as my hands were still bound behind me.

He stepped in and closed the door behind him before walking up to me, looking very concentrated and determined. I stood straight with my back against the wall in an attempt to appear braver than I was. I was more angry than scared really.

Loki charged up to me and slapped me across the face, just hard enough to make me stumble but not fall over.

He grabbed hold of my right shoulder and moved his arm back preparing for a punch that no doubt would have broken bones if he hadn't stopped.

That's right, he paused. Arm poised in the air ready to strike, but it stayed there, trembling with all the power it packed. I stared at him right in the eye, and he did the same. His dark green eyes didn't look so strong as before. He had his brows furrowed, teeth clenched in determination and looked in all..torn, for some reason.

Then all of a sudden he yelled out, "Blast it!", whirled around and hit the the side wall with the punch so hard it sent cracks bleeding out from the impact.

He leaned against that wall for a moment before turning back to me, grabbing my shoulders and flipping me over so my back was to him. And to my surprise, ripping off the fabric that bound my hands.

He then backed up giving me space and I whipped around, now completely free of any bindings. I took the opportunity to stretch my sore arms, but stayed alert for his next move.

But he didn't have a next move. He stood there about a meter away and looked at me, then at the ground as if he was trying to find the right words. He ran his hands over his face and then said to me, "Scream." In a demanding tone thats sounded like an order.

"What?"

"Scream, just do it."

"Why."

"Just do it alright? It's for your own good."

"You just _slapped_ me asshole, why the hell should I do anything you say!?"

"Yes I know, I'm sorry, but it is important for your safety I swear."

I hesitated, but after I thought about it I figured it couldn't possibly hurt me so what the hell, I was curious what he was going on about. So I screamed as loud as I could.

Loki actually winced sound and said, "Yes like that, do it again but add in a 'help me' or 'stop it' or something along those guidelines."

I took a deep breath and shouted, "No! Stop it, stop it please! Somebody help me! Help!"

I was confused to see Loki looking downright sick to his stomach after that and sounded pretty bad too.

He told me, "Yes, thank you that will be all."

He turned around and started playing with his fingers, twirling them until a bright white thread appeared stretching out between his hands, and very softly it began to move up and down like the lines on a heart monitor and from nowhere came a voice very soft I could barely hear it, crying out for help, for someone to stop, screams.

Loki then seemed to roll up the string in his hands and threw it at the far wall with the door. It hit the wall and splattered everywhere like a firework, before seeping into the walls and disappearing.

"..What the hell was that?" I asked him.

"It's a recording, if you will. It repeats the same things but in no specific pattern and with random breaks. To the people outside it will sound as if..well you're not having the time of your life. While meanwhile you are not in fact in any pain."

"I don't understand."

"You voice is replaying outsi-"

"No I get that," I snapped, "I mean why bother. That slap was pretty enthusiastic, why not finish what you started."

"I told you already, I'm sorry for that."

"Yeah well sorry doesn't cut it pal!"

"I don't have a choice!" He yelled.

"Like hell you don't. People always have a choice."

"Which is why I made the right one, and you're not really screaming right now." He hissed.

I paused. That was true, but I still didn't trust the guy.

"Fine. But no offense there is a bit of a leak in your brilliant plan. What happens when Thanos sees I'm not _actually_ spilling my guts everywhere?"

"That's the next step. Stand up straight, arms raised shoulder height, legs apart, I need to create a mirage around you."

"You can do that?"

"Yes, it's simple now arms up." He motioned with his hand for me to do so.

I didn't really want to, but I figured Loki wasn't interested in hurting me or he'd of done it already, so I complied.

Once in a suitable jumping-jack position, Loki waved his hands so a sort of body fitting grid of thin blue light appeared all around me, I couldn't see the whole thing but it tingled on my skin I could see very clearly the thin lines that overlapped my eyes.

Loki waved his hands again and the lines vanished, only I could still feel them there. He then set to work doing god knows what, waving his hands around like he was finger painting on an invisible canvas.

After a minute or two Loki lowered his hands and sighed.

"There, all done. Now this may pinch a bit as it sets it but don't worry about it."

As if on cue, which is probably was, my skin began to prickle all over. It didn't hurt, but it was itchy and very irritating.

Then as fast as it had started it stopped and everything seemed normal.

"Can I move now?" I asked.

Loki shook his head, "Yes go ahead it's finished."

I lowered my stiff arms and cracked my neck. Then looked down it my legs and let out a very ungraceful yelp.

"Holy crap-What the hell did you do to me?!"

My jeans were ripped on my right knee as if I had dragged it along gravel and coated in blood. I looked at my arms and nearly choked, backing up to the wall and sliding into a sitting position. My knuckles were scraped so badly I actually saw a bit of bone through the ripped tissue. I ripped off my bloodstained sweater and threw it beside me so I could see my skin. Huge sickly yellow bruises covered both arms and darker purple had begun to set in, though they were hard to see through the blood that streamed down from the deep gashes on my left arm. I looked down at my stomach and saw my white tank top was torn so my belly button was visible, along with black bruises on my hips then spread up and faded to purple along my abdomen, again smeared with sticky red fluid.

It was horrifying. I couldn't feel a thing, not any of it. And I couldn't tell if it was real or not. Maybe it was real. Perhaps cutting off the feeling was just his sick way of being humane, and he needed fake screams to go along with it...

"Calm yourself. It is only a mere illusion after all."

I looked up at Loki. Then back at my torn and beaten body.

I very carefully ran my right hand along my left arm and over the cuts. It felt smooth, a little cold with goose bumps but perfectly whole. It passed through the streaming blood like it wasn't even there, it didn't smear and I didn't see any new blood on my hand when I pulled it away. Maybe he was telling the truth. I poked at my ripped knee and even though it looked like I was rubbing at bleeding scrapes I felt only the denim fabric of my jeans.

"So...to everyone I'll look like I got the snot beat out if me."

"Everyone save myself. I can see past the illusion as I am the one maintaining it."

"..So now what?" I looked back up at Loki, who seemed bored all of a sudden.

"We wait a suitable amount of time, and then when I leave I shall turn off the recording until next time."

"Next time, how long are you planning to keep me here?"

"As long as necessary."

"But why? I still don't understand why you're bothering to do all this. If you don't feel like getting your hands dirty, couldn't you just pass up the offer and let someone else have a go at it?"

"I am the figurehead of this army it would be disgraceful to pass the job on to a lesser man, and it is beneath my standards to maim a helpless female for the sole purpose of taunting my foes. Or let someone else for that matter."

"But that's not true, you created the illusion so everyone will think you're doing those things. Still 'taunting your foes' with it, even if it is fake. What's the point then, since you feel it's beneath you?"

"I stopped caring long ago what the people thought of me. What matters now is how I view myself, and I would never sink so low."

"No, but you would sink low enough to kidnap 'helpless girls' now wouldn't you."

"That is different, hostages have been used in warfare since the dawn of time."

"That doesn't make it right."

"You haven't an inkling about the situation, don't presume my cause is so twisted."

"Explain it to me then, why are you doing this?! Waging war on your own country, your family-"

"They are not my family!" He spat with unexpected anger.

"They are thieves and liars and don't know how best to serve Asgard. I only asked that I may take the throne instead of my brother and I was cast down for trying to prove myself worthy. I tried to eliminate an evil race and now I am the monster."

"You tried to _kill an entire race_, why?! That's insane, no wonder they hate you."

"The Jotün are huge brutes with no remorse for life. They nearly destroyed Asgard and they are a constant threat to my world, how are they not monsters?"

"How are you not a monster?! You're killing your own people with no remorse and teaming up with those sick things guarding the halls, how are you any better?"

"I am not any better than them, that is why I must destroy the Frost Giants, and prove that I am above them. Show them all I am not like them, I hate them just as much as the rest of Asgard!"

"Killing the lot of them won't help anything. You'll just show everyone you are far worse than they could ever be."

"Nothing is worse than a Frost Giant."

"Why do you hate them so much? Not everyone is bad I'm sure."

"They are rotten down to their souls, we've been told that since we were children and no mortal will ever convince me otherwise. The very roots of their civilization are soaked in blood, each one is a monstrosity."

"That's not possible. Just because you're of a certain race doesn't condemn you to follow in your ancestries footsteps. There must be a few that have made the right choices and proven that they're different."

"...No, there have been none that aren't as despicable as the whole lot of them."

"I don't believe you."

"And I don't ask for you to believe it. I could care less."

"The way you describe them, it makes me think you would have made an excellent Frost Giant."

Loki paused, then asked me, "What is your name mortal?"

"Avery Glacies. Ava." I didn't see how this was relevant.

"Well then, Ava, I must say you are quite right in that assumption. I'd make a fine Frost Giant."

He snapped his fingers and the light few out of the walls and faded out of existence.

"I could have thrashed you about effectively enough by now, definitely long enough to pass for a good beating. I'll be on my way then. Till next time Miss Glacies. Remember to act sore around the guards, should one stick their neck in."

And with that he left, shut the door and didn't even bother to chain me up again.

I tried the door and it wouldn't budge, no use at all.

I was trapped like a rat and there was nothing I could do about it.

So put my sweater back on, ignoring the fake blood, curled up in the corner and forced myself to sleep. I couldn't do anything unrested so I drifted off. Wondering what Meggs was doing right then.

oOoOo

"No no no..damn where are those t-shirts I saw in the catalogs.."

I searched row on row on row of clothes but I couldn't find a 'Stark Industries' logo anywhere in Winners.

"Screw it, I'm going to check out the Bay.."

Then I caught whiff of the food court.

Hmm..maybe after lunch.

After I packed up my shopping bags and strapped on my new red heeled sandals to match the white shorts and yellow polk-a-dot blouse I'd got theday before, I hurried over to get myself a platter of sweet 'n' sour pork with sticky rice.

I sat down on a high stool and watched the traffic go by. The busy mall was packed with people all lavishing in food and clothes, it was booming today.

As I ate I peeked at my purchases through the top of the bags. It was vain, but I felt giddy with all the things I'd got Avery and myself.

Everything from thick winter boots to sunglasses, when Ava and the Doctor got back I'd be prepared for anything.

I made sure I got Ava lots of blacks, whites, greys and blue-greens but got mainly bright warm colours for myself. And I couldn't help but get us both matching Iron Man pajamas and fluffy bunny slippers. And come on, who could resist those lacy little socks Ava called foot-lingerie and Mickey Mouse sweaters?

True I was having the time of my life, but I really missed Ava. It had only been a couple days but I couldn't help wondering how she was doing.

**Eh, why should I worry? What are the chances of something going wrong, right?**


	4. Bloodlines and Cheesecake

Chapter 4 - Bloodlines and Cheesecake

**A/N**: So before we start the next chapter I just wanted to take a moment to thank all of you who are reading my fic *blushes* Thanks so much you guys are awesome.

But I want to put a BIG WHOOPING THANKS out there to my best friend Holly for being my beta reader and helping me edit! I couldn't have published without you, thanks a million!

Aaannnddd...IT'S HER BIRTHDAY!

So a big thanks and happy birthday to SailorMuspelheim for being generally fabulous.

*Chibi Ava runs in panting*: "What, this is the person who gave me good grammar? Yes! I finally get to meet you, I've been stuck with this loser all my life, god."

*Kate crosses arms*: "I gave you life, you puny thing."

"You can't even spell!"

Holly: "Ain't that the truth."

*Chibi Loki appears*: "Ava! Get back into your cell, we are only on chapter 4!"

Ava: "What? You told _him_ the plot but not me?!"

*Chibi Meghan pops up from behind in sunglasses, carrying shopping bags*: "What do you mean _'cell'_?. I've been busy shopping, what's all the fuss about?"

Ava: "Meggs! Help, they've got me locked away in a dungeon!"

*Meghan whips of her sunglasses*: _"WHAT?!"_

*Kate slowly backs away: "Holly...I smell a mutiny..."

Holly: "Run."

*They join hands and run into the TARDIS and travel back into their own world.*

~Fin~

* * *

I woke up to a cold, empty cell that looked the same as it always did. I couldn't tell how long I'd slept but I felt better. I got up and touched my toes, stretched out and began inspecting my cell, running my hands over everything. There wasn't much to it, the walls were rough and bare except for the torches that burned blue, attached to the wall by metal pegs, and the door was impenetrable.

I knew I only had a limited time before Loki or someone came back so I grabbed hold of the metal peg attached to the torch and tried to pry it off the wall, perhaps it could serve as a weapon of sorts. Luckily it wasn't burning hot, but they were screwed on so tight I couldn't even loosen them. I gripped it tight in both hands and pushed both my feet up against the wall in what must have been a very awkward position and pulled with all my strength.

It didn't budge. Of course right then the door gave a click and began to swing open and I, momentarily distracted, lost my grip and crashed painfully to the hard dungeon floor.

The guard fully opened the door to see me lying on my back immobile, whimpering in pain and eyes watering. And of course to him, covered in blood and bruises. He smiled and closed the door after Loki stepped in.

Loki raised his eyebrows when he saw me, "Impressive, I see you remembered to act crippled. Good. But get up now the groveling is bothersome."

"No you dimwit," I groaned, "I'm actually hurt. Help me up."

Rolling his eyes Loki heaved me up under my arms and brushed off my shoulders roughly and walked to the other side of the room, where he leaned against the wall looking displeased. I mirrored him against the opposite wall, arms crossed. A moment passed and nobody said anything. Loki just waved his hand to start up the recording.

"So," I said eventually. "Are we just going to...stand around?"

Loki just rested his head against wall, eyes shut. He was either very tired or very bored. Most likely both.

I sighed and tapped my foot on the ground.

"Why are you even doing this? It's not like you have a perfect moral code as it is.."

He didn't even bother opening his eyes as he replied.

"I have answered your query numerous times already. If you are incapable of retaining the information, I suggest you listen better."

"I listen fine it just isn't a good enough answer."

"So picky."

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Answer my question. Or at least say something, god we can't just stand here in silence I'll go mad."

...

"Well even if you won't talk I will. I happen to have a couple theories myself.

You said before you were the 'figurehead of the army', but that's all you are now isn't it? The face of it all. The only rational way to explain why you're going to all the trouble of setting up this illusion," I motioned to myself. "Would be that you _have_ to do this to me. Never mind your ethics if you think it's so bad you could just order your men to stay away and not do it yourself, and you said you don't care about taunting your enemies. So the only explanation is that you have to follow your orders, don't want to, and set this up so you didn't have to."

Loki stared blankly at me as though I were a mere insect. "You're being ridiculous. I lead this army and they all answer to me."

"That might be true but think when it gets down to the nitty-gritty most of those things out there would be loyal to Thanos, should the two of you have a disagreement. So you have to do what he says, you're essentially Thanos's bitch, to be blunt."

"I am nobody's 'bitch' Ava, whatever that Midgardian phrase is referring to.. Don't pretend to understand things above your comprehension."

"What's it like?" I asked, "Taking orders. You strike me as the kinda guy who would really despise that. I bet you didn't have any boundaries as a prince in Asgard. Your Dad let you get away with everything as king."

Now he looked angry, "Keep your nose out of my personal affairs girl, and leave my family out of the matter."

"Why do you despise your family so much? What did they do to deserve such..hatred? All the stuff you're putting them through..do they deserve it?"

"Don't you dare say because they're my blood I owe them something." He spat. "They're not."

Not..blood?

"So you're..adopted?" I wondered.

"You could say that." He grumbled bitterly.

"Well boo-hoo, tough it out."

Loki looked up at me in the eye, a little surprised and offended. "What did you say to me?"

"They are still your family." I stressed.

"I am a whole different race than them you ignorant-" Loki began, raising his voice.

I yelled at him, interrupting his developing rant. "Family doesn't end with blood!"

"Don't you interrupt me-"

"You think because you don't share the same DNA that cancels out any connection you had with them? Well guess what pal, I have a sister, and she doesn't share one drop of my blood! You think because someone has a different hair color, skin, ancestry, they can't be special to you? You are truly a fool if you think that."

My god this guy has a twisted perception about the simpler of things.

"I would watch my tone if I were you." He growled softly.

"Whatcha gonna do? Slap me again?"

"Would you stop bringing that up you whiny pathetic creature.."

"Oh, well thanks for that." I smiled sarcastically.

There was a pause to let both our tempers cool, though after a moment I began to wonder..

"So what are you anyway?" I asked.

"Excuse me?"

"'Different race'? I thought you were supposed to be a god."

"I am a god."

"So you can't be killed?"

"Don't be daft of course I can be killed. But my lifespan is far greater than of a measly human beings."

"..Like an elf."

"What?"

"Like an elf. You live forever unless you're stabbed or something physical."

"No. With time all things die, gods included. Though we remain far superior to all other beings."

"Well you certainly don't have an ego problem.." I muttered under my breath.

"You tread upon thin ice mortal." He warned.

"But what are you.I get that your godly and all of that but you're not asgardian so..what, where are you from?"

"..Jotünheim."

"You...are a Frost Giant?"

"Jotün."

"...well this kinda destroys my theory that not all Frost Giants are scum sucking dickwads."

"Watch yourself woman, my patience is only so strong."

"I sincerely apologize with all my heart."

An awkward pause followed, which I eventually broke with a question.

"So is that why you hate frost giants so much, cause you are one?"

He said nothing to that, and it was quiet again.

"Well..now that I think of it, I got it completely wrong. I mean don't get me wrong you're an asshole but, because of your actions, not because your a Jotün. You could have been a good guy if you'd made the right choices."

"And what choices are those, oh wise one?" He asked, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Now that's easy to answer.

"Hmmm.. Let's start from the top: no waging wars, no evil plots, NO KIDNAPPING."

"You've made yourself clear stop shouting like an imbecile." Loki ordered, not really acknowledging my point.

I moved back to my initial questions.

"But I still don't see the big motivation. You're adopted, so you hate your family and you hate yourself even more for being a different race. …That's really sad actually, growing up must have been hellish...but thats not my point. Why all of a sudden are you freaking out and waging war all over the place?"

Loki's eyes grew hard and expressionless, and his face slipped into a convincing mask of casual flippancy.

"I have my reasons. And how have you come to be such and expert on the topic. Do you have siblings Ava?"

"Yeah, I have two older brothers, and Meghan is practically my little sister."

"And that, you presume, awards you some great knowledge about healthy relations? You said you had elder brothers, tell me of them, your family and I will tell you, I will tell you of mine."

"...Well, I don't know them as well as I would like. My parents died in a car crash when I was just a baby, and my brothers and I were put in an orphanage. But because of my age, and because I was a girl, I was transferred to a foster family who adopted me officially after a week."

Loki sneered at the 'adopted'.

"My family ended up moving to Canada where I grew up, and my brothers stayed in America. So you can see how it was hard to stay in touch. Later I was told that they ran away from the orphanage, probably to join the circus. They never did find them, the authorities. But in secret I started getting letters from them, that they were safe and everything. Luckily Vancouver is fairly close to the border so they would come and visit me on Christmas and birthdays. I don't know how they managed it, never got caught not once. Though I think circus training really helped.

Over time I saw less and less of them, with an occasional letter. Both my brothers started to break apart drastically and eventually went their separate ways. Then one of them, Barney, passed away a couple years back, in a...fight. He was working for the Feds.

And Clint...well I don't see him too much these days. He's a pretty busy guy, works for a very high up government agency. So he doesn't have time to visit much. But I see him on birthdays and Christmas, just like at the beginning. He even brings his girlfriend sometimes.

And Meghan, well she is just my best friend. I don't feel I have to explain why she is my sister."

"Ah, well that is all very touching. But you are no more than an ignorant child. You have spent very little time with your family, where as I have been forced with Thor for hundreds of years. Stuck to his side in an endless array of sparring and studies. Constantly thrown into his shadow and made to revel in it. Revel in his greatness, that greatness I was never able to reach, blocked by my brothers giant ego, constantly fed and growing from the encouragement it received. To be forced down, never to be his equal. And never knowing, why."

He spat out the words like sour wine. Old, bitter and leaving a lingering bad taste.

"Of course I know now why I could never compete with Thor, why I would and will always be beneath him. A monster, a Jotün, a .._creature_ that every Aesir fears and hates because they only bring death and destruction. Thor himself said he would hunt them all down, make them fear him. Now tell me Ava, would you not wish to prove yourself after that, would you not need to show your worth? Are my motives really so distorted? Tell me, tell me what would you have done!?"

I didn't know what to say to that, for the first time I was actually afraid of Loki. Not so much that he would hurt me just...he was so broken. Almost mad in a sad, frightening sort of way. I stared at him, my mouth open ready to snap back a reply but none came to mind. When he calmed a little Loki looked down, then at the side wall, averting his eyes from me. He looked angry at himself like he'd just let something a little too emotional slip past his carefully watched guard. I could see his jaw clench as he gritted his teeth.

"You know, from your point of view this all seems..oddly justified." I mumbled. "But I guess..every villain is a hero in his own mind."

He frowned at the wall. "I am not a villain."

I gave a weak little laugh. "A villain is 'someone responsible for specified trouble, harm or damage.' Sound familiar?"

He didn't say anything and the cell once again fell into that uncomfortable silence I hated so much, worse than ever.

Surprisingly it was Loki who broke it, standing up straighter, looking at me like he was about to start a speech.

"..I chose not to harm you," he started. "because I know what it is like to be hurt. And I would not wish that kind of torture on anyone, especially as you are a mere human. That is to say, weaker and you do not have any real attachment to this war. I may be a monster, and I have the motivation and the bloodlust, but I don't feel any need to hurt an innocent. So in short, I did not harm you because I did not want to. I am a monster already, I don't want to become worse than I already am. To sink lower would be too...despicable. The very thought of it makes me sick."

I paused, churning over what he'd said in my head.

"...You know, the definition of 'monster' when you're talking about a person is 'an inhumanly cruel or wicked person.' And I don't know you well and I'm not defending the things you've done, but I know for a fact you're not inhumanly cruel. Otherwise if probably be dead by now. You can show mercy, and some remorse so you aren't a _monster_. An ass, and a moron but not a monster."

He stared at me with a neutral expression. But to me his dark green eyes looked a little softer.

I was unwilling to lapse yet again into a silent streak, so I blurted out something I had been meaning to say, but had ignored due to adrenaline.

"It would be inhumanly cruel however, if you don't get me something to eat right now. I'm starving, and I need water too. I'm not a god you know, I require daily sustenance."

He sighed at me like 'oh fine.' "Very well what would you like to eat?"

"I'm.."

I thought about where I was. The dirty dungeon. The dark little room lit only with bright little flames. The cold, the hopelessness of my situation and the threats hanging over my head.

"I want cheesecake."

Loki looked confused. "What?"

"CHEESECAKE."

I didn't know whether or not I would die in this place, and dammit I was gonna treat every meal I was given like it was my last.

"And champagne!"

"You want _alcohol?_" Loki wasn't confused about what I wanted only he seemed repulsed by my choices. "Are you certain that is wise?"

"I _seriously_ doubt you're going to take advantage of me. Hurry up, I want my cheesecake I haven't eaten in..two days!" I snapped.

He glared at me but said nothing as he waved his hands around a bit.

A sudden rumble from the wall made me jump. Then to my astonishment the rock on the far wall crumbled down not the reveal an escape route, but of course more rock. The pebbles then rolled on their own to the middle of the room where they clumped together and rose up, molding into something..

Before I knew it there was a small table and two stone chairs sitting there, while the wall was missing a huge chunk of rock.

I gaped at him. Show off.

He paid no attention as he walked up to the table and in a blink of an eye there were two wine glasses a bottle and three plates. Two empty with forks and one large platter with a beautiful golden-yellow cheesecake topped with whipped cream.

Loki walked over and pulled out a chair for himself then took a seat.

"Will this suffice?"

"..Why are there _two_ plates hmm?"

Loki looked offended, sarcastically.

"Oh I am so sorry. My apologies, I didn't realize you wished for me to stand here like a waiter while you dine on the food I provided."

I grunted in annoyance and pulled up the other chair. God it was heavy.

Once I was seated across from him I grabbed hold of the bottle and filled it to the rim. Then chugged it in one go. Then I realized it wasn't bubbly.

"Hey! I said champagne!"

"Water is better for you in this situation." He explained like I was stupid, while he motion with his index finger how he wanted the cake cut. Eventually deciding on an even six pieces.

"I'm not worrying about my health right now, and especially in this situation I think I need it."

Loki rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers, then took a piece and set it on his plate.

I poured another glass, only half full this time and took a gulp.

'Ah, bubbly delight!' Is what I was expecting, but instead I got a nose full of bubbles and a mouthful of..of.._ginger ale on steroids._

I coughed and covered my face with my forearms.

When I looked up Loki had one eyebrow raised and seemed to be pitying my pathetic display.

"Have you had champagne before?" He asked smirking.

"Yes!" I exclaimed. "..Twice."

He laughed at that. _Laughed_ at me.

I scrunched up my face into a pout and slammed a piece of cake onto my plate.

"You act like such a child Ava."

"I am not! I just haven't drank a lot of alcohol in my life."

I took another more tentative sip.

"Mmm, see? Much better!" And it was, it tasted nice actually. It just took some getting used to.

He took a bite and I did the same.

Heaven. It was rich and fatty and cheesy and just bliss. I'm not ashamed to say I finished off two pieces in three minutes, all the while guzzling glass after glass of sparkling champagne.

Meanwhile Loki was just finishing his first.

"You eat like an animal." He scolded.

"Yahwellyoweatwikeagurl." I mumbled through a mouthful.

And he kinda did. All politely slicing up even bites and sipping his wine.

"Well I am royalty. Forgive me for having manners."

I took a swig and pounded my chest to force it down.

"Ya ya..*Hiccup!*"

Stupid Loki with his fancy eating and stupid face..

I looked up at him. He frowned at me.

Mmm..maybe not so bad a face.

I took another piece of cake and scooped off the whipped cream onto my fork and held it eye level.

"Hey it looks like a cloud." I smiled. I like clouds.

"I haven't watched the clouds in a long time." I thought aloud. "We should go cloud watching."

Loki grabbed the bottle and tossed it into thin air. Wow..

"Hey I wasn't done with that!" I picked up the piece of cake with my hand and took a monstrous bite. Comfort food to make up for no more bubbles.

"I think you've had enough." He waved a hand and all the cake disappeared too. He didnt even keep the whipped cream on my fingers. The plates and stuff were gone too.

"Aw, I was just starting to have fun."

I stood up and staggered up against the door. Then watched as Loki re-assembled the wall.

"Cool magic! I should learn magic. But I can't," I grumbled "Hogwarts forgot my damn letter..cheap buggers."

Loki turned to me and stopped, thinking for a moment. Then he turned again and ta-da! There was a little cot in the corner. Ooh cream sheets too, like cheesecake. He set a bucket down beside the bed too.

"Hey maybe you can use your magic and take me out of here so we can go cloud watching? Yeah let's do that."

He walked up to me and took my arm and lead me toward the bed.

"Heeeyyy..lemme go." I slurred. "Take me outside."

He flopped me down onto the cot where I proceeded to try and get up. Loki pushed me back down and flung the covers up over me in a swoop.

I tried to wriggle free but he held me in place by the shoulders.

"Stay put!" He demanded.

I stopped struggling and pulled the covers up to my chin. I looked up at him, still leaning over me with his hands on my shoulders.

Oh yeah. Definitely nice face.

"You got pretty eyes, so greeny."

He let go and straightened up, still frowning down at me. "Go to sleep."

"No."

"_Ava._"

"Oh fine, meanie." I rolled into my side facing him, and hugging onto my pillow.

"..Hey Loki? I wanna go home."

He looked startled by that.

"..I know. I'm sorry Ava."

My eyelids started to feel heavy.

"I wanna go..to..home.."

"Shh..sleep for now." He instructed.

"Mmm.." Ok good idea.

Then I had an idea. It was brilliant, best thing I'd ever thought of. "We should play Hungry Hungry Hippos, Loki..."

"Maybe one day, sleep.."

"Mmmhmm..."

Then all went black. Quiet, soft and warm.


End file.
